College and Career Advising in Texas

Texas OnCourse administered a survey to K-12 counselors and advisers throughout Texas to better understand the state of college and career advising. Feedback from school counselors is crucial to maximizing the impact of our counseling and advising resources.

Part I, completed by district-level personnel, inquired about the:

• number of counselors and advisers working in each district
• types of training and professional developmental available to them
• technological tools used to better understand student pathways to college and career

Part II, completed by middle- and high-school counselors and advisers, asked about:

• how counseling services are provided at the campus level
• the professional development counselors and advisers had received
• their knowledge and skills in different areas related to college and career advising
• use of technological tools and other resources in their advising work.

The survey indicated that less than half of counselor and adviser respondents felt that their students understood the new graduation plans and endorsements associated with House Bill 5, and less than 40% felt that families did. These results provide evidence for the necessity of the work done by Texas OnCourse. Furthermore, only 11% of counselors ranked themselves as knowledgeable on the regional industry demands of the workforce.

Texas OnCourse is committed to using the data supplied in this survey to maximize the services we provide to our community.

Click to view full survey in PDF

We welcome questions and feedback regarding the survey results. For more information regarding this survey or the Texas OnCourse initiative, contact Matt Giani, Ph.D, Research Scientist for Texas OnCourse.